Hey Everyone! It’s Kat —
For a long time, I thought cleaning only counted if I did it properly. If I wasn’t deep cleaning the whole space, organizing everything, resetting the entire room, then what was the point? I used to put SO much pressure on myself to get everything right and perfect. If this didn’t happen, I wouldn’t even bother to start or complete it at all.
(Classic black and white ADHD thinking)!!
So I would wait. Wait until I had enough time. Enough energy. Enough motivation to do it “right.”
And because that moment didn’t come often, things would build up, until the task felt so big that I avoided it completely.
What I didn't realize is that ADHD homes don't need big overhauls. They need small resets: something quick, something repeatable, something that doesn't require a huge amount of energy to start.
That’s where the 5-minute reset came in.
The Reset, Step by Step
Step 1: Throw out obvious trash
No decisions. No overthinking. Just remove what clearly doesn't belong: wrappers, empty bottles, junk mail. Keeping a small bag or bin close by means there's zero friction between "notice trash" and "get rid of it."
Step 2: Clear one surface
Pick ONE: counter, table, desk, nightstand. Not the whole room, just one spot. Picking a single, small target is what makes this doable on the days a full clean feels impossible.
Step 3: Put 5 things away
Not everything, just five. Small enough to start, enough to make a difference. This is the step that keeps the reset from turning into a full afternoon project.
Step 4: Wipe it down
A quick wipe-down makes the space feel complete, even if nothing else got done. This is the step that makes the reset actually feel finished instead of half-started.
Step 5: Stop
This part matters most. You don't keep going until you're exhausted. You stop while it still feels easy, because that's what makes you willing to come back and do it again tomorrow. (I also made an app to help with this called Cleaning Roulette, check it out!)
For the wipe-down step, keeping wipes already within reach matters more than which product you use; the point is removing the extra trip to find supplies.
Resets > Deep Cleans
It's not perfect. It's not complete. But it changes how the space feels, and more importantly, it makes it easier to come back and do it again. Small resets don't just maintain your space; they reduce the mental load attached to it.
So if everything feels like too much right now, don't clean the whole room. Just reset one small part of it. That's enough.